Koi gives Wix a tiny smile of agreement.

She can feel the muscles between her shoulders knot like agitated serpents at the repetition of that horrible propaganda. Entire peaceful planets were lasered to death or drained to a smoking ruin by the First Order war machine -- surrender didn't save them. Countless, innocent villages turned into a smoking ruin. Even untrained, her sense of life is aghast at the tragic waste. It's a struggle, but she manages to hold her silence and keep listening.

"Were you at Exegal?" She asks in surprise, "I only heard that it was a horrible battle." Koi pauses, "I don't know what it is or was like for you. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to.  I'd like to understand.." She trails off a little self consciously. Captain Ploon gently warned her not to be too curious about the specifics of a soldier's life.  But he seemed like he was feeling beyond the limits of his education and experience -- perhaps talking about it would help.

"No," He began. "Like the rest of the galaxy, we were surprised the planet was even there and that our Emperor was still alive. We were jubilant, ecstatic, at the news of the Final Order. This would all come to a swift end. And than the news of defeat came just as swiftly."

His eyes wander over his equipment before returning to the conversation "We are trained our entire lives, taught that our gear was better, our training was better than any other force the galaxy had ever seen. Our leaders were veterans of the old war, they could out fight the hapless rebels easily, and somehow our greatest victory turned into catastrophic failure. Needless to say, it causes one to start asking questions."

Koi’s thoughts tangled with bewilderment and pity, nauseated horror, and the strange thought that AG reminds her a little of the ghost in the cave. Even knowing himself cast out from his troop because of their horrific intolerance, all his thoughts seem to lack not only empathy but individuality. As though you asked a blaster pistol what it thought of the war.  Was the training he received very different from Mr. Maul’s?

Koi considers her words carefully, “I don’t know how much I can help you with your questions, AG. But I’ll try. I find it hard to understand how..you and your friends saw things. I can’t imagine giving up or condemning a friend so..quickly. ” she runs her hand through her hair, still muddy from the tunnel. “There is time for us to learn, right?” She offered with a wan smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Sat 28 Nov 2020.

"Ya, I suppose." He replied the awkward smile, though it quickly faded. "In all honesty there isn't much to it. It's training, for all of us. The enemy could be anywhere or anyone, and we have to do anything to fight the traitors among us."

He looks over his armor again "They never allow us to access the Extranet. Options to keep ourselves entertained and occupied are kind of limited. I read a lot of tactical reports and studies on the Clone Wars. I went down a wormhole, and found out about the clones that were part of the Grand Army of the Republic. After the Jedi tried to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor, there was an order made to kill every Jedi out there,"
He made a loud snap, his eyes had turned fierce "like that, these soldiers who were bred and brainwashed to be loyal foot soldiers all turned and killed those that they were trained to serve under."

"That bothered me for two reasons" he added "first being the most obvious in that it reinforced that you never really know, anyone could become a traitor in an instant. The second one was more disconcerting, because someone would have had to have foreseen that. The impossible idea of Jedi Knights betraying the Republic, and planned a contingency plan for that decades in advance."

"Do you have any idea how often long term military planners and intelligence get things right?" He didn't wait for the answer "never."

OOC: How much does Koi probably know about history?
OOC2: Also, is he angry about the betrayal/lack of loyalty? Or the fact that the Clone Warriors were badly exploited?  Or both?
OOC3: I was not sure if he was just snapping his fingers or crushing his helmet like a melon. :)

His anger seemed to scorch the air in the hold. At the snap, Koi looks at his hands, almost expecting to see the helmet crushed in his hands. "It bothers me that the Clone soldiers were made in the first place." Koi murmurs softly. She remembers her father telling her that much.  That a long time ago, the Republic propagated people like twigs.  And grew them up to use in their wars.

She considers AG's line of investigation, despite AG's ferocity, she feels like frost is licking at her spine. She's glad he's telling her this -- that he's not carrying this alone. But leaf and branch it's a harrowing conversation. "The Supreme Chancellor became the Emperor, right? Koi sounds a little embarrassed that she doesn't know her history better -- she only had her Dad's tutoring on the Outer Rim colony. "What do you think happened? That he..faked the Jedi's betrayal?" She asked with worried earnestness. After meeting the Sith ghost in the desert, she suspects that no atrocity was beyond the Emperor. The rage and agony the spirit carried in death, decades after his bones turned to sand..only the most calculated cruelty could make that.

Koi's worry turns to alarm. "AG, you would have been killed if anyone guessed.." She suspects that worse things would have happened to AG than a blaster bolt to the head.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:59, Sat 28 Nov 2020.

OOC: Knowledge Galactic Lore isn't trained for your character, but she does have above average Int. Since what he's talking about is in living memory, it's not completely foreign. How much of it is familiar is your call.
Assume for a while that anger is his natural state of being.

"He was clearly attacked by the Jedi. He couldn't have done that to himself. Still, something is off."

"You're right though. After the rebel Finn abandoned his post and his rapid betrayal, everyone was under heightened scrutiny. I knew asking questions and expressing doubts could quickly lead to suspicions, accusations, and worse." He had a quick smile across your face "you're the first person I've ever talked to about this stuff."

"I don't want to make this weird, but I can't be any help to you all dressed like this," as he raised his arms to indicate his armor "is there a change of clothes I can wear?"

OOC: Got it.  Let me know if Koi needs a perception roll to figure out better what he's angry about. He has a lot to reasons to be angry.

Koi does smile at his admission that he finally could share his burden with someone. "I think it helps to talk about difficult things." She pauses and chooses her words solemnly, "I will do my best to help you find out what happened, if that's what you want. But please don't let these past injustices prevent your future growth and happiness. There is more to us than anger and grief."


She looks a little embarrassed, "Of course -- clothes. I think some of my dad's things will fit you."  Koi whirls around and walks over to a little trunk at the back of the hold. She couldn't bring a lot from home. Space was always at a premium in an ship, after all.  But some of her father's favorite clothes, his botany gear, a few pressed leaves and seeds, and even a couple, small, real books.  Sure, she had all his research and photovids on data cubes, but sometimes Koi wanted a memory she could hold.

She unpacked the little trunk carefully -- almost reverently -- as she pulled out the soft, plant fiber sweater and wide leg trousers at the bottom.  A grinning picture of an older human man, swinging a tiny laughing child on his broad shoulders looked up at AG from the floor. In reverse order, Koi neatly packed up her trunk again before turning to AG. "I think these should fit you."  She handed the soft, mossy green clothes to the soldier. "Would you like help with your armor?"  She offered, not sure how the thick stormtrooper armor worked.

"I can handle it myself." He replied flatly "The armor and the weapons are engineered so that any soldier can use them and maintain them on their own, should they be assigned a solitary task, or be the last man standing." He reached his arm out to grab them, keeping his eyes fixed on you, relying on peripheral vision.

He looked the clothes over for a moment and made a strange face. There was a gentle smile that followed however
"Thank you. This, this is the first thing I can say I own. The first thing that's mine. That's an interesting distinction, and I'll value these greatly, even if they do smell like someone was buried in them..."

Without concern or hesitation, he began removing his armor, talking as he went.

Koi looks a little embarrassed, "Oh..umm..sorry..I didn't know that or anything about wearing armor..?"  She was foreseeing a lot of talks where she tried to explain normal life to AG-0525. Maybe Captain Ploon or Mel could help.  They were male in similarly gendered species as humans.

For Koi, the strangeness was just beginning. "Well, my Dad died more than a year ago, and he wasn't wearing these clothes when he died..so may be the herbs I packed them in smells odd.." She looks at him askance, and a little hurt. Koi would have said more but AG started taking off armor right in the hold.

"Whoa! Whoa.." Koi yelps, and points to the fresher. "Maybe you'd like some privacy, in the fresher..which is a traditional place to change clothes."

AG's eyes wandered upon hearing those grim words, searching for a visual sign of what to do, of what the answer might be.

"I'm sorry." was all he was able to get out at first, meekily, quietly "You can take these back, if you'd like. There is a jumpsuit, of sorts, under the armor. That should be passable, I think." As much as he wanted something of his own, he also clearly saw the possible importance in the sentiment of keeping them.

"I, I have no memory of my parents. None of us did. As a child, I wondered often what that was like. If fathers and mothers were like drill sergeants and indoctrination officers, or if they were different somehow."

"Do you miss him?"

"Oh, I didn't know about the jumpsuit. Well, I feel like a complete fluffhead and a bit of a prune." Koi sat on one of the boxes, her ears turning pink again. "I really meant it about not knowing anything about armor. I sort of know there are different kinds, but I've never worn any. I know this is probably something you've known forever, but I'm just learning it from you now."

She takes a deep breath, it's a little shaky "My Dad would have been honored to offer you your first gift. Please keep them and wear them in health and joy." The last parts of the phrase had a slight, ritualistic feel to them - but the words were no less sincere for the repetition. "And yeah, I miss him a lot. I don't know much about drill sergeants either. Oro talks about hers once in a while, she seems kind of fond of them? Were yours nice?  My dad wasn't anything like the people Oro describes. I can't remember him raising his voice more than a couple of times my whole life. He was really patient, kind, and a good listener. He could look at a plant and know what it needed, or just sit quietly with you..and things would be better."  Koi surreptitiously wipes a tear. "I'm not doing a good job explaining what he was like. It's like saying a forest is green, when it's a million shades of green and light, and singing birds and everything."

She gives his hand a squeeze, "I'm really glad for you to have them. You didn't do anything wrong. I just missed him a bit more today -- there are a lot of times today I wish I had his advice..and I miss that too."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:04, Mon 30 Nov 2020.

"Sounds like a good man. I wish I had his advice as well." He said, staring at the clothing, contemplating the man who may have worn it. "This is harder than I expected, being free. I could do anything I want. Well, nearly" He corrected "But I don't even know what that is. I guess I'll figure that out with the lot of you. That, or go crazy."

Koi manages a quiet smile, "Just expect that it will take a long time to figure out what you want, and how to move forward.  It's been about a year since I left home, and I feel like I'm just starting to find my way." She adds, "for what it's worth, Captain Ploon gives pretty good advice too."

She looks sheepish -- not used to talking so much about personal things. "Well, if you don't need the 'fresher, I'd like to use it.  There was a lot of sand in those tunnels and it was none to clean." Her usually undetectable 'fringer accent softens the edges of her words.

The soldier shrugged "Ya, whatever. Don't let me get in your way."

As you step out of the compartment, Oro is standing watch outside the door, glaring her eyes at you, but silent.

Koi stifles a sigh as she sees Oro. "Can I get a change of clothes while you tell me off?"  She asks wearily. The sand from the tunnel feels like it's made significant progress infiltrating her clothes and hair. The more Koi thinks about how dirty the tunnel was, the itchier she feels.

She tries continuing in the direction of the crew's quarters, in hopes that Oro will yell and walk at the same time.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Wed 02 Dec 2020.

Much like the other soldier, Oro was quick to the point. "I don't trust him, and the fact that you do really worries me. Need I remind you that had your Jawa friend not been so quick on the draw, he'd have killed you both without a moments hesitation or regret."

Koi waits until she's in the crew's quarters before she replies.  In part because it gives them a little privacy, but also she needs a minute to think about what to say.  She stops, clothes in hand. "It probably doesn't reassure you that I hadn't given it much thought. Wix had already stunned him when I knew he was there." She offers practically, "But he didn't hurt us, and he was at our mercy, and I essentially I kidnapped him. And he wants to try." Her face crumples, and she adds quietly. "I know he doesn't understand how to..to be a person. It's terrifying, but he's still a person."

"Try what?" She replied "It's a standing order for every soldier in the First Order to resist capture and to try to escape. We're in hyperspace now, so he can't, but mark my words, he'll take the first opportunity to find a way back, assuming he doesn't kill us in our sleep and head back home or spy on us."

"It's what I was trained to do, and I gurantee you his training was a lot more thorough and intense than mine."

Koi looks confused, awkwardly clutching her clothes. "But we would have just let him go. Heck, we'd still let him go on the next planet if he wanted. If he wanted to escape, shouldn't that have been a lot easier?"

"If you understand him, I'm all ears. But my impression is that he has a lot of anger to work through, and very little of it seems directed as us. I'm..worried for him..he will be very upset when he figures out how badly the First Order treated him." She has to stop for a moment and think.  What would the Spirit do (besides take out the laser sword)?  What would her Dad do? Not knowing that, she tries for the most..good answer. She's not used to being a diplomat, but it seems like AG needs a diplomat too. Koi leans in and whispers very quietly, "Look, if you want to hide drain all the blaster battery packs except yours -- if that makes you feel better, so be it. But consider that when we win -- there are going to be millions of people like AG. Who need help.  I know this kind of trust and hope is asking a lot. And trust is always dangerous, but if we're not brave about this now -- then when? What can I do so that you're willing to give him a chance?" 

"I already made sure the weapons were double locked and password encoded, but thank you for giving me permission to do what's necessary to keep you safe." She sighed as she tried to keep herself in check, recognizing she was talking to a civilian. "There are already millions of AG's out there. Trillions maybe. The galaxy is full of liars, thieves, and betrayers. This isn't personal, it's just O R M."

"AG still being alive is me giving him a chance. Just don't expect me to be shocked when he blows that chance."

OOC: ORM is Operational Risk Management, an extremely common principle in military organizations in their planning. One of the key tenants of which is to never accept or take an unnecessary risk.

Abashed by Oro's exasperated assurance that she had decided on security precautions already, Koi intensely examined her feet muttering a sorry for being bossy..
. In addition to make her feel about 10 years old, Oro was certainly right(*) and being really nice about it. Which made Koi feel even more like last-year's mulch.

Of course it Koi took sounding out the three letter abbreviation to remember which one of the thousands of abbreviations Oro was referring too. "I really appreciate your giving him a chance.", she manages with contrite meekness. "I'm sorry it's a risk. I don't know if it helps but Wix is really great and wants to free his people from oppression, so I hope you'll be friends with him too."  Koi says the last part with the idyllic hopefulness that your friends will like each other. "He helped me reprogram Mr. Diggity really fast."


(*) Not about AG (Koi had a lot more hope in him), but definitely about being careful and respecting her soldier expertise.

"I think your little Jawa friend is adorable" She replies, in a nuetral but honest tone "He keeps lurking behind you like he's your shadow. Or your child. The droid should be handy with the mission, maybe get some excavating or data samples back to help our reports, though I think it's a little weird that you decided to give a name to a droid that doesn't have a vocabulator, much less hueristic processor, but not your newest friend who could use one. I don't know how long you actually intend on calling him AG for..."

Koi runs a hand through her hair, wincing a the slight smell of Whomp rat..something yucky. It seemed like her sonic shower was going to have to wait a few more minutes. She doesn't want to reveal Wix's secrets, but she doesn't want Oro to be rude to him because he's small. "Yeah, Wix is really an excellent person. And charismatic.  But don't underestimate him. He ran a shop in a city occupied by the First Order for years. And the Jawa are not a well-liked, indigenous minority on Tatooine. You'd have to ask, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was..watching my seven.." She stumbles over the military jargon, "while I was talking to AG."

She hesitates, but tries to explain her tentative grasp of self-determination philosophy. "I'm calling him AG, because that's what he called himself and how he introduced himself.  I know it's not the kind of name I'm used to. But it seems..arrogant and mean..to tell him that he needs a new one. I figured that if and when he wants a different name, he'd let me know. As for Mr. Diggity..well..he probably doesn't already have a name for himself -- like you said -- so it was not disrespectful to give him one." Koi doesn't explain that she asked the droid to give a tap on the ground if he liked the name Mr. Diggity. Oro already thinks she's a little weird.

She thought for a minute. "Do you want to talk to him about it? He's struggling with the idea of owning a shirt, so I thought he might have an enough existential problems for the day."

"All I'm saying is that if you want him to gain humanity, it would be a help to actually have a human name. AG-0525 is not a name, it's serial identification number. I have one too, but I would never volunteer to be called that. If that's all he has than that's all he is. Not a person, but a component to a machine. A Gear of War."

"Of course, I'm not the one who should really be talking to him about this. Or Anything. Us left in a room together is likely to start breaking out in a fight."

Koi closed her eyes for a moment and tried to let the angry shouting in her brain quiet down a bit. She doesn't like it. She doesn't like the sticky, bitter-leaf taste it leaves in her mouth. She concentrated on the quiet hum of the engine, and let it smooth out the spiky edges of her anger. "I realize that by not giving him a name other than his designation, the First Order encouraged him not to have an identity apart from being a soldier.  But despite those efforts he is not any less of person than I am or you are. If I was taken from my dad as a kid and put into that horrible program, I doubt I would be any better off." Koi tries to focus on her calm, but she feels like she is choking on the bitter leaf taste. And her eyes are itchy and prickly.  Damnit -- is she starting to cry? "I know you don't like him.  But can you please treat him as though you believe he is a person? I am really angry about what was done to him, and it's going to be difficult for him to realize that the people and organization he was raised to worship actually consider him...piece of machinery or equipment. I hope you wouldn't pick a fight with someone who is already going to have a long, uphill hike ahead of him. And is really trying."